rec-meta: Factual Realism

Thanks for staying with me this far - only three more essays to go - Factual Realism (this post),  Characterization, and OOMPH-factor.  The first three essays in this series - Visual Presentation, Story Mechanics, and Story Flow - all represent foundational factors to some degree or other.  When they're done well, they 'disappear' from the reader's eye - but when they're done badly, their glaring atrocity can throw the reader right out of the story.

Factual Realism, Characterization, and OOMPH-factor are a bit different.  These three elements, when done well, are often remarked upon, because they're individual bits and pieces in  a story that make all the difference.  If we go back to the house metaphor, when done right, these factors will both 'fit the feel' of the house, as well as 'dress the house up' a bit.  It's like a coffered ceiling in the dining room.  When done badly, or set off wrong, all you want to do is avoid the dining room or cover it up - but when done right and highlighted correctly, it might just be the thing that you fall in love with the house for.  

 

( Factual Realism, or: Don't Put a Rubber Ball on a Crystal Decanter )

Next Up: Characterization

-bs

 

6/19/2008: ETA for spelling and fact correction - yup, even I screw up!